A Childhood Game
by ZinicInk
Summary: How did the game of kidnap and rescue between the Mushroom Kingdom and the Darklands come to be? What were the relations between the two kingdoms before the Bros. had ever even shown their fluffy mustached faces? BowserXPeach
1. Royal Pains

Bowser gingerly touched the top of his head and winced. He was definitely getting a bruise from that last hammer-strike. He sighed angrily and looked at his right-hand Magikoopa, who was inspecting him for any other injuries.

Kamek shrugged. "Well, it looks like you're going to get a bump on your head, but other than that, you're golden."

Bowser didn't respond. He crossed his arms and furrowed his eyebrows, giving the impression that he was glaring at the trees. Kamek knew better, and stayed silent as the Koopa King thought.

After a few moments, Bowser turned to the Magikoopa. "Kamek."

"Hmm?"

"When did I start planning to take over the Mushroom Kingdom?"

Kamek raised an eyebrow. "What?" He didn't ask because he hadn't heard the question, but because he hadn't expected it. Bowser didn't repeat himself, but watched Kamek carefully; like he was waiting for him to tell a bad joke.

This made the Magikoopa feel pressured to answer, but nevertheless he remained silent, slightly confused by the question. It wasn't like Bowser to inquire something like that. "Well, I'm not really sure...As long as I've been working for you, you've only had two goals; take the Mushroom Kingdom as your own... and beat Mario." Bowser frowned, like he didn't like that answer. "B-but I'm just a minion, Your Frightfulness; I wouldn't know the inner-workings of a brilliant mind such as your own."

Bowser's expression softened as he rose off the forest floor. "And don't you forget it!" he laughed. Then he turned and examined his surroundings. Confusion quickly masked his features. "...Where are we, Kamek?"

Kamek gave a slight smirk; that was to be expected. "Grimble Wood."

Bowser looked around. "...Good... that means..." He took a few steps forward, then turned around to face Kamek, not really sure what it meant.

"That your castle isn't very far away, Your Forgetfulness." Kamek shrugged. "But you knew that, didn't you?"

Bowser huffed. "Of course I knew that! I'm not an idiot; I just didn't know how to say it in words you'd understand." Kamek rolled his eyes. "So, which way, Kamek?"

"Hold on." Kamek flew above the trees to get his bearings. He spotted Bowser Castle a ways off to his left, and returned to the forest floor. "It's over-" Kamek stopped mid-sentence and looked around, a little confused. Bowser wasn't where he had left him. He cast his eyes about, and after a few moments located his King. Bowser had wandered a few meters in the wrong direction, then stopped and leaned against one of the trees, his arms crossed and eyes closed with a scowl on his face.

"Your Thoughtfulness? I found the castle..." Bowser didn't acknowledge him, and didn't move. That was when Kamek decided that there was something off with Bowser; he never thought that much in such a short period of time. "Hey!" Kamek called. Bowser slowly opened his eyes and looked at him distantly. He didn't say anything. "I found your castle."

"What...? Oh! Where?" Kamek inclined his head in the direction of the castle. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get going." He abruptly pushed off the tree and walked forward, leaving Kamek behind.

Kamek watched him for a moment, and then quickly caught up.

They traveled in silence for a few minutes. Bowser forcefully made his way through trees and boulders, while Kamek merely flew around them. After a while, the silence got to Kamek. It wasn't normal for Bowser to stay quiet for so long. After being defeated by the Bros., it was usual for him to make threats and rant about how they cheated, that he hadn't brought his 'A game', he wasn't ready, he was distracted by their mustaches, Peach was giving him funny looks; anything to justify him losing.

"Your Un-talkativeness?"

Bowser looked at Kamek. "What?"

"Are...are you feeling alright? Did you catch a cold, or-"

Bowser frowned. "What are you blabbing about? I'm in top shape, like always."

Kamek sighed. "Not to tell you how you feel, but I don't think you're fine. You've been too quiet."

"Too quiet? Why would I be talking?" he demanded. "She thinks I'm a loser, Kamek; not to mention I just got beat by those stupid plumbers AGAIN!"

The Magikoopa hesitated. "W-who thinks you're a loser?"

"PEACH, YOU IDIOT!" Bowser roared, smashing a boulder to emphasize his anger. "No matter what I do..." Bowser trailed off, scowling.

Kamek just looked at his King worriedly. Bowser noticed the expression and glared at him. "Wipe that stupid look off your face, Kamek." he growled, then continued his way through the wood.

XXXXXXX

"...What is his problem?" Kamek muttered to himself. He had escorted his king to the throne room, but was dismissed with a grumpy 'Buzz off' and a slam of the door. Kamek had never seen Bowser act like this before, and he was certain that the weirdo question he had asked had something to do with it.

'When did I start planning to take over the Mushroom Kingdom?'

Kamek frowned, pondering the question. He didn't understand; was there something before the Bros. that had occupied the Koopa King? How was he supposed to know something like that?

He was so deep in thought that he hadn't noticed he was flying rather low, which caused him to run into an unsuspecting Shy Guy. Both the minions toppled over and ended up on the floor.

"Hey! Watch where you're-" The Shy Guy stood himself up and turned to see Kamek picking up his broom and dusting himself off. "O-oh! Kamek, I'm so sorry, sir!" He gave a hasty salute in apology.

Kamek mounted his broom and looked down at the Shy Guy. He was a little surprised to see how short he was, even for a Shy Guy. He couldn't have been very old... After a moment, he realized that he might be able to use the other minions to help him solve the riddle of the Koopa King's mysterious mood. "...What's your name, kid?"

"Guyraid, sir."

"How long have you been working for His Grouchiness?"

The Shy Guy thought for a moment. "...I joined the army 'bout three weeks ago, sir."

"So you're a new recruit?"

Guyraid nodded and proudly added, "I was the best Shy Guy out of my entire troop in boot camp!"

Kamek ignored the comment. "Who's leader of your battalion, Guyraid?"

"Um, Captain Shystone, sir."

"Where is he?"

"Goomba-Quarters, sir." The Shy Guy pointed towards a door opposite him. "I could get him for you, sir, if you want."

Kamek nodded. "Make it quick." Guyraid quickly saluted and ran to the door. He knocked, and a Goomba opened it, but didn't let him pass. They conversed a while, then the Goomba grudgingly admitted him inside.

Kamek waited for the white mask to poke back out of the room, but it didn't come. He frowned after five-minutes had passed. "...What does that kid think 'quick' means?" he muttered. A few minutes later, and the door opened. It revealed a yellow Shy Guy. Kamek sighed; that wasn't Guyraid. He flew to the minion and stopped him anyways.

"Hey, is Captain Shystone in there? Or a new recruit named Guyraid?" The Shy Guy looked at Kamek, saluted as he realized who was addressing him, and adjusted his mask awkwardly.

"M-my name is Shystone, sir. I was told you've been l-looking for me?"

Kamek noticed how nervous the minion was and rolled his eyes. He hated how being right-hand to Bowser made everyone suspect the worst when he talked to them. "Easy, man. You're not being punished or anything." He then looked suspiciously at the Shy Guy. "Why are you so nervous, anyway?"

"N-n-no reason, s-sir." Shystone avoided the Magikoopa's eyes. "I-I'm usually like this."

"Weird... well, anyway-" The door to the Goomba-Quarters banged open. Guyraid dashed out and hid behind Shystone.

"Why did you leave me, Captain!" Guyraid panted. "I didn't know Shy Guys weren't supposed to be in the G-Q!"

Shystone looked at the quavering Shy Guy. "Well, it is c-called 'Goomba'-Quarters. W-what did you think?"

"Why were _you_ in there then?"

"C-captains are allowed to go everywhere." he stated.

Kamek frowned. "Everywhere except the kitchens, thrown room, or any General's quarters, unless otherwise directed." he corrected.

Shystone sheepishly nodded. "Well, I-I guess that's right..."

Kamek waved his hand. "Wait, we're not getting anywhere! Stop getting me off topic!" The two Shy Guys stood silently, waiting for Kamek to continue.

After a moment, he sighed. "How to put this... well, first, Captain Shystone, how long have you been in Bowser's service?"

"Six years." Kamek frowned.

"You're already a captain?"

"I-I work very hard." Kamek groaned. "W-why do you need to know?"

"I'm trying to figure out what's wrong with His Greatness today."

Guyraid shrugged. "He got beat by the Bros. today, didn't he? Isn't that what's always wrong?"

Kamek shook his head. "It's a different kind of wrong. And I wouldn't flaunt that fact around right now, buddy. He doesn't enjoy his minions knowing." The Magikoopa looked around. "Captain."

Shystone saluted. "Y-yes, sir?"

"Do you know how long the other Captains have been in service?"

"I-I know that Captain Snowguy has been around for eight years, and Noguy for at least seven. I don't know about the Goomba Captains, Boo Captains, Koopa Troopa Captains, or Bob-bom Captains."

"Well, I guess that helps..." Kamek nodded to the Shy Guys in dismissal, and then flew off in search of the other Captains.

XXXXXXX

Kamek's interrogations ended with the same result; not one Captain had been around longer than he had. The Koopa was frustrated, and the last Captain he interviewed (Captain Booray) could tell.

"Why do-" the Boo began.

"BECAUSE I'M WORRIED ABOUT BOWSER, OKAY?" Kamek yelled. He was starting to think that the whole thing was hopeless and stupid, and he was just wasting his time.

"Well, if you're looking for someone with more years under their belt than you, why don't you ask the other Generals?" Booray asked, not fazed by the yelling.

Kamek looked at Booray for a moment, and then smiled. "Of course! What was I thinking?" He began to leave the Captain, but turned back around. "Captain Booray, I thank you for kick-starting my common sense."

Booray smiled. "Not a problem."

"Oh, one more question, Captain."

"Sir?"

"How old is Jr.?"

Booray thought for a moment, then shrugged. "I think his last birthday was his fourteenth."

Kamek sighed angrily. "That's what I thought, but...That's still too young!"

The Boo shrugged. "What do you need to know?"

"What Bowser used to do before the Bros. showed up..."

"Maybe Jr.'s heard stories or something..." Booray smiled. "He could know exactly what you need. I mean, he _is_ Bowser's kid."

Kamek slowly nodded. "That's right..." Booray saluted Kamek, then turned and disappeared down the hall.

The Magikoopa was now alone with his thoughts. He had never thought that Bowser Jr. might know things about his King that he didn't. Then again, they had a different relationship; father-son. If Bowser's old goal was a secret or something, then the General-King relationship probably wasn't as trusting as the father-son relationship.

Kamek made up his mind and flew back to the upper-stories. A few turns and halls later, and he was outside Bowser Jr.'s quarters.

Now that he was there, the Magikoopa realized that he hadn't ever actually talked to Jr. outside of military opperations. He hesitated to knock on the door. Kamek wasn't sure how the kid would act to the weird question, and now that he thought about it, realized that if Bowser Jr. knew the answer to his question, he didn't have to answer _because_ he was Bowser's son; and either way he would most likely tell his dad about their discussion anyway.

Kamek grimaced. He quickly turned to fly to his own quarters, when he noticed that none other than Bowser Jr. had been watching him from a little ways down the hall. Kamek froze.

Bowser Jr. raised an eyebrow as he approached Kamek. "...What are you doing?"

Kamek swallowed, but remained silent.

"Kamek... What do you want?"

The Koopa sighed. He'd better just ask. "Well, I wanted to ask you something."

Bowser Jr. shrugged. "Okay, what?

"Right, well, the thing is... This will probably sound really weird... but you see- I mean, REALLY, really weird, and you'll think I'm crazy-"

"WHAT IS IT?" Bowser Jr. growled.

Kamek was a little taken aback. He had the same temper as his father. That was a good sign; he knew how to handle a bad temper.

"Well?" Bowser Jr. pressed impatiently.

"Sorry, sir. Well, I was wondering, do you happen to know...what your dad used to do before the Bros. showed up?"

Bowser Jr. blinked; all anger dissipated. He hadn't been prepared for that one. "Uh..."

Kamek turned to leave. "If you don't know, that's fine. I just thought that if _anyone_ would know, it'd be you."

"Well, he would kidnap mama Peach, duh. He's been doing that since he was like, twelve."

Kamek smiled, glad to finally be making some progress. "Really? How did the princess get rescued?"

Bowser Jr. laughed. "Dude, my old man wasn't always holding her against her will!"

The Koopa frowned. "...So..."

"She didn't mind being kidnapped and brought here." Bowser Jr. shrugged. "At least, that's what I've heard. I don't have any deets, so don't ask for any, OK?" He opened the door to his room. "You could probably ask my dad. I bet he'd tell you."

Kamek shook his head. "Oh, you've already lost that bet. I tried to ask him this morning in Grimble Wood."

Bowser Jr. raised an eyebrow. "No dice?"

"No dice." Kamek confirmed.

Bowser Jr. huffed. "Well that's dumb. I don't even care about that kind of stuff, but he tells me about it all the time. He should just tell _you_ and save me the boredom!" He entered his room, but stood in the doorway. "You want me to tell him for ya?"

Kamek shrugged. "If you think he'll actually tell me something, then go ahead."

"Alright. I'll tell him then."

"Whoa, wait. You think he'll give me some of this info?"

Bowser Jr. shrugged. "I don't see why he wouldn't. You ARE his right-hand-Magikoopa, right?" He smiled. "I'll just think of some kind of guilt card to play. He'll tell ya. Just wait 'till after he's done eating tonight, OK?" He withdrew into his room, leaving Kamek alone in the hallway.


	2. Dinner Confrontation

Kamek stood outside of the mess hall nervously. He had been rehearsing how he would ask Bowser about his past all afternoon.

Each of his made-up situations ended with his scorched corpse lying in the middle of the mess hall.

He just didn't have the nerve. The Magikoopa turned to just go into his room and mope, but the door to the mess hall opened. A small, green head poked out, and a pair of beady, black eyes stared at Kamek.

"Well, are you coming in or not? I'm ready when you are, Kamek." Bowser Jr. said.

Kamek sighed. "Alright, alright, I'm coming."

The two entered the mess hall and walked to the far end where the Koopa King was seated.

From the look of his plate, which was piled with succulent and delicious-looking food, Bowser hadn't eaten anything.

Kamek took his seat next to Bowser and frowned. "What's eating you, you're Broody-ness?" The inquiry came much more naturally than Kamek thought it would have.

Bowser lifted an eyebrow as he noticed his right-hand-Magikoopa, and then frowned as he continued to pick at his plate.

"Nothin'."

Bowser Jr. took that as his cue. "Oh, stop it, dad. You know as well as I do that you're thinkin' about mama."

Bowser's expression lit ever so slightly at the mention of Peach; but it almost immediately darkened again.

"Sir, this isn't healthy. You sure you don't have anything to get off your chest?" Kamek asked.

The Koopa King slammed his fist on the table, and he glared at Kamek. All chattering ceased and all eyes were on them.

'This is it', Kamek thought. 'Just how I imagined it. I'm dead.'

But death did not come. Bowser rose slowly from his seat and made his way out of the room. Kamek followed him. He glanced over his shoulder at Bowser Jr., who was smiling and giving him a thumbs-up.

When the two of them were out in the hall, Bowser stopped in his tracks. Kamek flew to his side and looked up at him quizzically. The Koopa King, however, stared straight ahead, seemingly gathering his thoughts.

"Um, sir?" Kamek began.

Bowser frowned and turned away. "Follow me, Kamek." he ordered gruffly.

Without a word, the Magikoopa followed. The two strolled along for a short while before ending up inside of Bowser's chambers. The Koopa King sat on his bed and looked at Kamek with an odd expression.

"What's wrong, Kamek?" he asked in a sincere tone.

That was odd. Wasn't it the _Magikoopa_ who was supposed to be worrying? Kamek looked at the floor, a little embarrassed. "I'm just worried about you, sir."

Bowser laughed. "You shouldn't be. You know I'm invincible. I'll never break!"

There it was. A lie.

Kamek frowned. "Sir, if you don't get this thing off of your chest, you ARE going to break. I'm here to help you. I'll listen, if that's what it takes."

Bowser didn't say anything for a long while. He just frowned and looked at Kamek.

"You sure you want to know?" Bowser asked almost timidly.

"Of course, sir."

"I've never told anyone the whole story before."

"I know, sir."

"It's kinda long."

"I have time, sir."

Bowser leaned back and frowned. "Well, I'm not much of a story-teller, but I'll give it a whirl."

Kamek just waited. He decided he wouldn't say anything to distract his master from what he was about to say.

Bowser looked out the large window, which faced the Mushroom Kingdom, and had a look in his eye. One of sadness and longing.

And of regret.

"Kamek, when I was a kid, a little younger than Jr., I used to visit the Mushroom Kingdom every month with my parents. That was the only time we were allowed past the border between our two kingdoms."

"We would go to keep good relations with the Mushroom Kingdom. My parents always tried to be polite, but the Mushroom King didn't like us. He never let us see the Mushroom Queen or the princess. We were only allowed in the main hall. No exploring allowed."

Bowser grinned and laughed a little. "But see, I'm not really the kind of guy who listens to old, ugly Kings and their stupid rules. I'm more of a rebel, actually."


	3. A Regular Visit

Bowser gave a little growl and pushed his mother's hands away from him. "My hair's fine, mother! Leave it alone! Why should we need to impress that old gasbag, anyway? The Mushroom King doesn't even like us!" he complained.

His mother made a little 'tut-tut' sound as she resumed combing through her sons hair. "It's _because _he doesn't like us very much that we _need_ to look our best! Just because he _thinks_ we're monsters, doesn't mean we need to _look_ and _act_ like monsters!"

Bowser frowned, but let his mother finish.

She took a step back and admired her son. "There, now you look so handsome!"

The young Koopa turned to get a look at himself in the mirror. He tried not to gag. She had slicked his orange hair back, which made him look like a total loser. He wouldn't say that out loud though; he knew he'd probably be scolded for being rude. That didn't mean he couldn't think it though, and he was thinking it _really_ loudly.

Instead, he turned to his mother and gave a half-smile. "Yeah, thanks mom."

His mother smiled, and then gestured toward the door. "Now, go wait in the main hall for your father and I."

Bowser nodded and left the room in a flash.

He paused outside the door, and looked around cautiously. There was no one around; not a Goomba or Shy Guy in sight. As fast as he could, before anyone could show up and see his ridiculous hair, he bolted to the main hall.

Once in the spacious room, he hid behind one of the large, round, marble pillars; the one that was closest to the entrance. That way when he, his mother, and his father left, he could avoid being seen by most of the well-wishers that _always _showed up when they left for the Mushroom Kingdom.

Bowser waited, trying his best to be patient and not draw attention to his marble pillar.

In order to keep himself from becoming too bored, he began to go over the plan he had devised the night earlier. This visit to the Mushroom Kingdom would be the first time he would see the Mushroom Princess in person, and he was going to make sure of it.

Once at the Mushroom Palace, he would separate himself from his parents, sneak around any guards, and wander around the castle until he found the Princess. It was a simple plan, yes, but genius by the young Koopa's standards. It was fool-proof.

Heavy footsteps pulled Bowser away from his thoughts. He slowly peaked around the pillar, and confirmed that it was his father and mother descending the stairwell. As always, they looked stunning. Freshly-waxed shells and newly-polished crowns and bracelets glimmered, and their freshly combed hair was as vibrant orange as a real flame.

His father noticed his little eye poking from behind the marble pillar, and he gave his son a warm and knowing smile. He discretely pointed to his own head and mouthed the word 'hair?'

Bowser nodded solemnly.

The king laughed heartily, grabbed his wife by the wrist, and began to hurriedly head for the marble pillar. He waved to all the well-wishers who had gathered around the hall, on the stairs, and in the balconies. "Yes, yes, thank you for your support! We'll be back in a few days, so don't wait up! We really need to be leaving, or we'll be late. Good-bye everyone!"

The queen tried to protest the sudden rush, but he pretended not to notice. The king grabbed his son from behind the marble pillar and placed him in front of his own large figure, so he would be shielded from any of the on-lookers or his friends.

And then they were out the door, the cheers from the crowd diminishing as it slammed shut behind them.

The queen stopped once the door was shut, folded her arms, and looked at her husband accusingly. "What was that all about?"

But the king was laughing too hard to respond. His son gave him a quick hug in thanks, and then pointed down the road.

"What does it matter, mom? Let's get going!" He started to walk toward the Mushroom Kingdom, leaving his parents behind.

XXXXXXX

The queen was still grumbling about the rushed departure when they could finally see Toad Town not too-far ahead. She had been occupied during the trip, because Bowser seemed to keep _accidentally_ running into bushes and branches, which in turn messed up his hair that she had worked so hard on that morning. The king wasn't helping, either, because _he_ insisted on ruffling their son's hair throughout the trip.

The trio was stopped outside of Toad Town by a few Toad guards.

"Whoa, whoa, what are _you_ three doing here?" the Toad who looked like he was in charge asked.

The Koopa King stepped forward, and smiled in as friendly a manner as he could. "It's the first of this month, so we're here to meet with the Mushroom King, of course!"

The Toads looked at each other, as if to say, 'We're still doing that'? Grudgingly, they stepped aside and allowed the three to enter Toad Town.

"You can pass, but please try not to destroy anything on your way to the castle. We've got a respectable town here, you know."

Bowser and his father both gritted their teeth and clenched their fists, but the queen laughed like it had been a joke. "Ha ha ha! Of course, of course! We'll be careful! Thank you very much!" She pushed her son and husband through the streets, whispering in their ears harshly.

"I can NOT believe you two! Why would you hesitate or get angry like that? We're trying to make a good impression!"

Bowser frowned. "And looking like pushovers is part of our _good_ impression?"

His father nodded a little. "I actually agree. Sorry, dear, but I don't think I can stand for much more of these insults."

The queen sighed, but didn't respond.

The walk to the Mushroom Castle was just as bad as it always was. Toads would leave their homes to stare at the three Koopas, or they would herd their little ones inside, away from the 'monsters'. Some would point and whisper, and the bold Toads would ask irritating and degrading questions about their life-style at home in the Koopa Kingdom. Bowser almost turned and punched the Toads a few times, but his mother was always there, whispering reassuring words to him.

When they finally made it to the gates to the Mushroom Castle, the three felt tired and irritated. They waited outside the gates for clearance. Slowly, the gates opened to reveal the Mushroom King himself, surrounded by a couple of Toad guards.

The Mushroom King was a middle-aged man, who wore a red, long-sleeved shirt, with white cuffs. His red trousers were tucked into white boots, and his skinny body was framed by a long, red and white cape. His blond hair was covered by a large, golden crown, which was matched by his golden rings and golden necklace.

He had a look of slight annoyance on his face, as if a fly was buzzing around his ear.

Bowser's father and mother put on fake smiles and waved pleasantly. Neither of them spoke.

The Mushroom King addressed them first, and in the same manner he always did.

"You remember the terms of your stay in my castle, I believe?"

"Of course!" the Koopa Queen replied.

Nevertheless, the Mushroom King recounted the rules anyway. "You will not leave your room unless by escort. You are not to explore. You will have guards posted outside your door at all times. You will not speak or address my daughter or wife if you happen to see them, and in turn they will not address you. You will only speak to me, and only during our meetings in the conference hall. Are we clear?"

The three Koopas nodded solemnly.

The Mushroom King huffed and turned his back to them. "Right then. Let us get on with it. Follow me."

He entered the castle, and the Toad guards surrounded the Koopas as if they were prisoners, not guests.

Bowser frowned, but caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He looked up at the castle, and saw leaning out of one of the windows a blonde-haired girl looking at them with interest. He made eye-contact with her, and for a second she smiled at him. Then, she glanced over her shoulder, and quickly shut the curtains.

The young Koopa thought for a moment. He guessed that the girl had been the Princess that he wasn't allowed to speak to. It was the first time he had seen her. Bowser frowned when he realized this, and shook his head. That _didn't _count. He had to talk to her to actually have _seen_ her in person. 

XXXXXXX

The Koopas were herded into the room that they were to stay in for the next two days. It was just as small as usual, and was obviously un-used by anyone since their last stay. It was dusty, and there were a few little cobwebs in the corners.

Bowser's mother made that 'tut-tut' noise again, and turned to one of the guards. "I'm sorry, but before you leave, could you please bring us a broom? Or a rag at least?"

The Toad nodded, and shut the door, leaving them alone.

Bowser ran his foot across the floor, leaving a long streak where his foot had gathered up the dust. He made a face. "You know you're the only one who ever cleans this room, right mom?"

She smiled. "Yes, well, I don't mind. It helps our impression, right?"

Bowser's father laughed coldly. "Sure it does. Just like letting those idiots insult us and allowing ourselves to be treated like this. Too bad our ever-improving impression doesn't change the king's opinion of us."

The queen frowned. "Now, now! Don't be like that! It'll pay off, one of these days!"

The door opened, and the Toad stuck his head in. He offered a rag and a broom to the Koopa Queen, and then quickly retreated back into the hall.

"Thank you!" she called. Then she threw the broom at her husband and the rag to her son.

They looked at her, bewildered.

"I am _not _cleaning this stupid room again. _You_ do it."

Bowser frowned, but did as he was told and began to wipe off the furniture. His father hesitated, but started to sweep up the floor. 

XXXXXXX

By the time they had finished their spring-cleaning, the sun had finished setting, and they had been brought their dinner. Well-done steak, covered in gravy, and sides of baked potatoes, and vegetables.

Bowser's mother smiled at the delicious-looking meal. "I guess the cook has standards for his dishes, despite who eats them."

The Koopa King and Prince dug in with gusto, practically inhaling their meal. The queen laughed at their antics, and then caught herself.

"Slow down, you two! You're hurting—"

"—our impression!" they finished.

Bowser smiled. "Yeah, we know, mom."

The queen paused, a little offended, then smiled and laughed it off. "OK, OK, I deserved that one." She ate a few bites of her meal, and then turned to her husband. "Dear, what are we supposed to discuss with the Mushroom King tomorrow? Do you know?"

The Koopa King thought a little, then answered between bites. "You know…mmmph… border policy…hrmphh… I think… harmph…snarff… And maybe trade possibilities?" he paused his eating. "We'll talk about what we want to do after we're done eating."

His wife smiled, and continued eating.

Bowser took his last bite, and sighed happily. He then looked at his mother. "Can I go see the Princess, mom?"

Both his parents choked and coughed on their food in surprise. His father blinked a few times as he swallowed. "W-what? What's gotten into you, son?"

"I saw her today, she was looking out of one of the windows at us. She smiled at me. I just wanna talk to her."

His mother frowned. "That's one of the rules we have to follow, son. We can't speak to any of the Mushroom Royalty besides the king."

Bowser frowned. He had known that, duh, but he had been hoping that they would have said yes anyway. "Fine, whatever." He stood up and sat on the edge of the small bed, and looked out of the window, plotting how he could leave the room without his parents or the guards noticing. 

XXXXXXX

Bowser thought that his parents would _never_ go to sleep. After they had finished their meal, they sat around and discussed important-sounding stuff that he didn't really understand or care about. Then, they came up with a 'game-plan' about how they would present their ideas to the Mushroom King so he wouldn't just blow them off. Finally, he and his father laid on either side of the bed, with Bowser closest to the window and his father closest to the door, while his mother lay on the small, soft bed.

Bowser gave them what felt like a billion hours to fall alseep, (which was really just one-and-a-half), then slowly stood up. He watched his father and mother's chests to make sure their breathing was steady and slow. When he was sure that they were both fast asleep, he turned to the window and began to examine it.

It was an open-air window, with no glass. There were red curtains that could be drawn over it if desired. Bowser poked his head out of the window to see if there were any footholds that could help him climb down the face of the castle wall. To his disappointment, there were none to speak of.

Bowser silently fumed over the sudden halt in his master plan.

After a few minutes, he had another ingenius plan strike him. If there weren't already footholds, then he would have to make some of his own!

The Koopa reached outside the window and pushed one of his claws against the white wall. Nothing happened. This caused him to frown. He had been expecting it to just give way like butter, and be as simple as that. Angrilly, he raked his claws across the wall. To his surprise, it left a little dent. Nothing major, but enough that it encouraged him to keep going.

Soon, he was hard at work digging holes into the wall. He found that using his own claws hurt, and it scratched them up pretty bad. Instead, he used one of the metal candlestick holders off of the dresser.

Slowly but steadily, he began to make a path for himself down the castle wall. Luckily for him, their room was only on the second floor, but because the floors were so tall, it was still a pretty decent drop. He had to climb out of the window and hold onto his footholds in order to continue to the bottom, which wasn't so hard. The only problem was that he kept fooling himself into thinking normal noises were guards coming to catch him in the act of his crime, so he kept scrambling back up to the room to hide.

After a couple of hours, the young Koopa smiled to himself. He declared his secret escape ladder was complete and ready for action.

Bowser climbed back up to the room and placed the candlestick holder carefully under the bed, where his parents wouldn't see it and how scratched up and dented it was.

Then, he began his decent.


	4. The Mushroom Princess

Bowser congratulated himself as he landed softly on the neatly-trimmed grass below the second story window. He hadn't actually thought that his genius plan could have worked, because, well, they normally didn't. Bowser decided that he wouldn't second-guess himself anymore.

After taking a few deep breaths, he began to tip-toe around the Mushroom Castle, trying to find his way back to the courtyard where he had seen the princess earlier.

Bowser didn't have much of a problem finding it, and had only run into one guard on his way. The Toad had been sleeping at his post, so the Koopa had no issues sneaking by.

Once in the courtyard, he peered up at the large castle, trying to remember which window he had seen the princess peeking out of. It was on the third floor, and was the second room to the left.

Triumphantly, Bowser repeated the coordinates to the room over and over so he wouldn't forget as he walked up to the Mushroom Castle doors, and slowly began to push them open. Making as little noise as possible, he finally got it open enough to poke his horned, green head around the door.

The inside was just as beautiful and white as he remembered it. Everything was polished and ornately decorated, from the rugs to the candles to the enormous chandelier hanging from the ceiling. On either side of the enormous entrance hall were large, spiral staircases that led to the upper stories, and in the center was a normal staircase that led to the throne room, as he recalled.

Bowser cast his eyes about nervously, and confirmed that there was no one around to see him. He gently opened the door a little wider so he could fit himself through, and made sure to leave it open so he could easily slip out. After checking to see that the coast was still clear, and not hearing any footsteps, Bowser made his way to the left-hand spiral staircase.

The young Koopa kept to the shadows as much as he could, pressing himself against the walls and dashing from pillar to pillar. The whole time, one thought pressed itself inside his head.

_Third story, second room. Third story, second room._

At the landing to the third story, Bowser leaned against the railing and caught his breath. Being sneaky plus a bunch of stairs didn't exactly help speed his plan along. After he felt slightly rested and ready to go, he turned back to the door leading to the third story, and froze.

The door was open a crack, and he could see a small, blue eye watching him.

Bowser, not knowing who it was or what they would do to him and his family if they caught him, began booking it back down the stairs, trying to get away from the eye. 'I'm an idiot,' he thought. 'Now we're gonna get thrown in jail or tortured or _worse_, all because of me. Because I just _had_ to see the stupid Mushroom Princess-'

"Wait!" came a whispered cry from behind him.

Bowser stopped. The voice was soft and small and… well… _nice_; which the Koopa had _not_ been expecting.

Very slowly, Bowser turned himself back around. Looking down at him from the third story landing was a young girl. The Koopa's breath caught in his throat. This was the Mushroom Princess he had wanted to find. And she was _super_ cute. Her hair was blonde like her father's, and fell down to her shoulders. She was wearing a pink nightgown, and her beautiful, blue eyes had a tired look to them. Bowser decided she hadn't been able to sleep or something, and had been wandering around the castle.

He didn't say anything, but after staring for a minute he awkwardly averted his gaze.

The Mushroom Princess let out something of a giggle. It was a pleasant, happy sound that made Bowser want to laugh too; but he caught himself. He looked back up at her, and she was gesturing for him to join her on the third floor landing.

Hesitantly, he made his way back up. He stopped a few steps short of the where the princess was standing. She giggled again, and reached forward and took his hand. It was soft, and felt so fragile against his large, scaly hand; he was afraid that he might accidentally hurt her, so he didn't return the grip.

She smiled warmly at the young Koopa, and quickly led him through the third floor. The princess flung the second door on the left open and gently pushed Bowser inside.

Bowser, feeling a little confused, didn't turn around to face the princess. She bolted the door shut, and then jumped onto her bed, facing Bowser. For a few moments, she just looked at him, curiously, with that warm smile on her cute little face.

Then, she opened her mouth.

"What are you doing up so late?"

Bowser turned to her, one eyebrow raised. "What about you?"

The princess laughed. "Well, I couldn't sleep. I was about to go to the kitchens for a cup of hot chocolate, or a slice of cake." She smiled. "So, your turn. What are _you_ doing up?"

Bowser hesitated, then crossed his arms and grinned. "_I_ wanted to meet _you_, princess!"

Now it was the princess's turn to raise an eyebrow. "Meet _me_? Why?"

The Koopa frowned. "Well, for loads of reasons. I heard you were nice, but we've never met because of your stupid dad's stupid rules-" Bowser covered his mouth. "…S-sorry, I didn't mean-"

She simply shrugged her shoulders. "It's true, he's being stupid. I don't like the rules either." The princess stood up and walked over to Bowser. "So you wanted to meet me… Well, fine then!" She stuck out her hand and giggled. "My name is Princess Peach. What's yours?"

Bowser took her hand gently and smiled. "Bowser."

"Alright then! Bowser." She nodded as if she had solved some mystery. "Good to meet you, finally!" Peach sat on her bed again and looked at him. "So, how did you get out of your room?"

Bowser shrugged. "I dug out holes in the castle wall and climbed down."

Peach gasped. "Really? Wow! I couldn't do that! You must be really strong!"

Bowser looked at his feet, a little embarrassed. She was acting so natural, as if they had known each other forever. It wasn't how he had expected things to go at _all_.

Bowser looked up again, and saw she was looking a little confused. "W-what? What's wrong, princess?"

Princess Peach frowned and held up a finger. "First off, call me Peach. That's why I told you my name." Bowser scratched his head, but nodded solemnly. "Secondly, I would like to know why you're acting so weird, Bowser!"

The Koopa frowned at that. "What do you mean?"

"I've watched how you behave over the years, and that's why I let you come into my room. I decided you were nice. But you're not talking and acting like you normally do! Is it because I'm a princess?"

Bowser laughed. "What, you think I'm scared of offending you?" Peach nodded her head. Bowser looked away from her. "OK, well, yeah, that's it. I don't want you gettin' mad and then spouting off to your stupid dad that I was out of my room or anything."

Now Peach was the one laughing. "Y-you think _I_ would rat you out? I've been waiting for you to come find me for _years_, Bowser! Why would I do that to you?"

The young Koopa was taken aback. "You've been _waiting_ for me to break the rules?"

Peach smiled mischievously. "I knew you would, eventually. It was just a matter of time."

"Why would you _wait_ for me to do something stupid like this?"

The princess sighed. "You have _no idea_ how _boring_ it is here. I'm not allowed to leave the castle grounds, and I don't have any friends or siblings! It's so irritating and lonesome!"

Bowser frowned. "Why would you _want_ to leave? Toad Town _sucks_. Everyone there is _rude_ and _annoying_."

"Wh- really?" Peach frowned. "I always thought the Toads were nice."

Bowser laughed. "Yeah right! They always point and stare at us, and ask me if I'm an only child_ because my parents ate my siblings_. They. Are. Rude." Peach covered her mouth with her hands in shock. "Yeah, you better believe it! You should hear some of the questions they ask my parents. It's awful. They think all us Koopas and Goombas and Shy Guys and everyone are evil or something!"

Peach remained silent for a while, staring at her hands. Then she looked up at Bowser. "I'm so sorry that they've treated your family like that. Really, I am."

Bowser waved her off. "It's no big deal, really. We can handle it."

Peach smiled a little. "Of course you can." Then she lay back on her bed and stared at the ceiling. "…Bowser. I'm sorry to say this, but it's because we don't know anything about your people that you're treated this way."

Bowser scratched his nose. What the heck did that even mean?

Peach sat up and looked at him seriously. "I'm sure if my family were to visit your Koopa Kingdom like you visit our Mushroom Kingdom, we'd understand each other better."

Bowser huffed. "Like that'll happen."

Peach smiled reassuringly. "Maybe I could get my father to let us visit. I'm not joking, he might consider it if _I_ ask him."

Bowser gave her a look that said something along the lines of: 'are-you-crazy-your-dad's-a-jerk'.

Peach smiled deviously. "And if I can't convince him to visit your kingdom by tomorrow night, I have another plan."

Bowser raised an eyebrow, not liking the sound of that. It sounded like something he would think up, which normally ended with getting caught and being punished."What kind of plan?" he asked, cautiously.

Peach put a finger to her mouth secretively. "I'll tell you tomorrow, if all else fails. Just promise me you'll go along with it, OK?"

"You really want to visit my kingdom, huh?"

Peach nodded. "So will you promise me? As a friend?"

Bowser blinked. "Fr- We're friends now?"

"Well, sure!" Peach held out a pinky. "Promise me."

Bowser hesitated. Then, he stuck out his left pinky, and let Peach wrap hers around it.

"Sure, I promise."


	5. The Master Plan

_A/N: Ha ha, so I decided to give this story another go. This time I'm pretty convinced I'm going to finish it, or at least get a bunch of chapters up. I took a pretty long break from writing stories and all that, so I'm a little rusty. I want to improve my writing, so I do appreciate advice and well-written critiques! Anyway, thanks for reading, and I hope you guys enjoy the story so far!_

_PS! Koopalings in the next chapter! Look forward to it!_

_XXXXXXX_

The second day of the Koopa royalty's stay in the Mushroom Kingdom was just as standard as the first had been. Bowser was left in his family's living quarters while his parents went to an early morning breakfast/meeting with the Mushroom King. In the afternoon, his parents returned in extremely poor spirits. It was obvious to the Koopa Prince that the stupid Mushroom King hadn't listened to a word his parents had said, as usual. They took their time recalling all the boring details of their meeting to Bowser, who wasn't at all paying attention. He couldn't keep his mind from wandering to the secret meeting he had partaken in the previous night.

The report was fairly standard, from the few things he actually heard. They had eaten delicious fruit bowls, delicately prepared white meat, a billion different cheeses; the usual. The Mushroom King had just nodded politely, but coldly, at everything they suggested or tried to talk to him about, as usual. There was one difference in their meeting, however, that caught Bowser off guard and snapped him out of his musings.

"W-what? Did you say Princess Toadstool, mom?"

His mother gave him a look that was half about to scold him and half surprised that he had even heard that much. She sighed and nodded. "Yes, Bowser, I did."

Bowser waited for more, but his mother seemed to be ignoring him now, as a sort of minor punishment for day-dreaming while she was addressing him. Stamping his foot in irritation, Bowser gritted his teeth and asked his mother in as steady a voice as he could muster, "What _about_ Princess Peach, mother?"

The Koopa Queen laughed mirthlessly, and looked at her son with cold eyes. "Oh, you care, do you? Well, if you _must_ know, that adorable little girl came bounding into the dining hall in the middle of our meeting, curtsied to us and smiled, and then began whispering in her father's ear for a time. We couldn't hear what she was saying, but it sure set off His Kingliness. He was beet-red and even more impossible to talk to for the rest of the meeting, if you can even _imagine_ him being any _more_ uncooperative." She laughed with real intent then, and waved her hand angrily at an imaginary princess. "'I won't hear another word of this from you, young lady! Who put those disgusting thoughts into your ditzy little head? Guards, escort her back to her chambers, and have her looked at by Dr. Toadlet!'" she mimicked.

Bowser grinned at that. Princess Peach had more guts than he had given her credit for.

That evening, Bowser repeated the process of sneaking out. He waited impatiently for his mother and father to fall asleep, and he waited a long while to be absolutely sure their breathing was steady. When the possibility of them awakening seemed zero, the prince headed to the window and swung himself over the edge of the windowsill.

The Koopa Prince practically raced to the castle's main entrance. The trip was painless and straightforward. No guards, no disturbances. Bowser knew he should have been concerned about how easy it was to just wander around the Mushroom Castle, but his excitement about seeing Peach again clouded what little conscience and judgment he had.

Bowser slowed down as he pressed himself against the heavy wooden doors leading inside. Slowly, he eased one open and slipped himself passed it. He glanced around cautiously, and looking up saw that the princess was waiting for him on the third story landing. He smiled up from the ground floor, and she waved encouragingly to him.

As fast as he could, while still being semi-stealthy, he bounded up the spiral staircase to join her on the landing. She led him back into her room, the second room on the left, and closed the door behind them.

Before she had a chance to say anything, Bowser turned to her and smiled widely. "I heard what you did today! Pretty gutsy for a perfect little princess!"

The young princess giggled at the praise. "Yes, well, that's what had to be done." Bowser opened his mouth to speak further, but Peach smiled excitedly and grabbed Bowser by the wrists before he could get the words out. "So guess what? My father said that there was no way he'd _ever_ go visit the Koopa Kingdom!"

Bowser raised an eyebrow. "What's up with your happy face? N-not that I don't like your happy face, but that's _bad_ news, right?" So, she was gutsy, but that didn't mean he understood her any better. Peach was still a girl, after all, and girls didn't make any sense.

Peach tapped the side of her head with an index finger and gave the prince a knowing look. "Nope! I have another plan, remember?"

"Right, the one-"

"That you said you'd help me with!" she finished quickly.

Bowser smiled nervously. "R-right…"

Peach clapped her hands together. "OK! So, you want to hear my master plan?"

Bowser didn't like that she called it a 'master plan', because that was what he had always dubbed his own plans that ended in utter failure, but he nodded for her to continue anyway. Peach sat herself down on the bed's pink, fluffy quilt and patted the sheets next to her, inviting the Koopa Prince to sit next to her. He obliged.

"So, listen. My father _says_ he won't ever come to your kingdom, right? But! What if you guys had something of his that he needed back? Wouldn't he come to you guys to take it back?"

Bowser frowned, thinking. "Yeah, that sounds right. But he'd just get ticked off at us, right? If we stole something, he wouldn't want to just sit down and have tea and a pleasant chat." If the Mushroom King was anything like _Bowser_, he'd immediately want to beat them all to bloody pulps and take his stuff back that way. Not by any peaceful means, that's for sure.

Peach smiled. "That's true." Her eyes said she had already figured something out, something devious, but _Bowser_ certainly couldn't figure it out for the life of him. He decided to just keep asking questions, instead of waiting for her to tell him the rest of her carefully thought-out plan.

He scratched his chin thoughtfully. "…What would we _steal_, anyway?"

Peach laughed, delightedly. "_Me_, of course!" Bowser almost fell off the bed. "I can't believe you hadn't already figured it out!"

Bowser blinked a few times, then lowered his eyebrows and glared at Peach. "WHAT? Are you an idiot?"

The princess huffed a little. "Now, don't give me that, you haven't listened to my whole plan yet!" She cleared her throat a little dramatically. "OK, so, I will be with you at your castle, and I'll socialize with your people, and get to know your lifestyle, right? And then, when I feel comfortable, I'll write a letter to my parents, letting them know that I'm safe and am making good progress with your kingdom, and all of that stuff that sounds good in a letter. My father will come to collect me, and he'll see that I'm safe, and that you really are good people! It'll be the start of something great!" She crossed her arms and her face was covered in a triumphant grin. She watched Bowser, registering his reaction to her ingenious plan.

Bowser didn't say anything. He didn't _know_ what to say. It was _brilliant_! Way better than _anything_ he could have thought up. And it seemed like it could actually work! There was just one issue he found in the seamless scheme. He turned to the princess and smiled widely, letting her know that he was all for her coming to his kingdom. "Alright, so, how do I get you out of the castle? You know, without getting arrested and beheaded or any of that noise."

Peach spread her hands out before her, like it was obvious. "I'll meet you outside the Toad Town gates three nights from tonight. That'll give you enough time to return home with your parents, and then come back for me."

Bowser nodded slowly. "OK, but how are you going to get out of your castle? You said your father doesn't ever let you leave."

The princess pondered for a moment. "I bet he would let me go into town if someone was escorting me. I'm really good at losing those dumb Toad guards, so I'd be able to slip outside the gates without anyone noticing."

The Koopa Prince thought for a moment. "What if he doesn't let you leave? He's a jerk, he might not allow it."

Peach shrugged. "I'll just climb down from your window."

Bowser snapped his fingers like he had forgotten about his secret ladder. "Right! That's perfect!" He looked at Peach with a new-found respect. "Not too shabby, Peach! You're pretty sly!"

The princess waved off his compliments airily. "Oh, please, you are much too kind!"

But the prince would not be put off. He really meant it; and he hardly ever meant anything like that unless he was talking about himself. "No, really! How long have you been plotting this gold-mine?"

Peach pondered for a moment. "Mmm… I think a few years, on and off."

The Koopa raised an eyebrow skeptically. "_Years_?"

"I have a lot of free time!"

The royal duo let the conversation hang, neither really having anything else to add at that point. They each sat in silence, thinking over the plot for any holes or miscalculations. Well, the princess was, at any rate. Bowser was thinking about what sort of things he could show his new friend when they got to his kingdom. Should he escort her around the grounds? Show her where he took all his stupid, boring classes about being a good ruler? Maybe walk around the nearby town, and show her off to the peasants?

Bowser was so deep in his thought that he hadn't noticed he was staring at Peach. Her nervous laugh broke his pensiveness. He blinked and looked away, awkwardly.

Princess Peach stood up and stretched. "Well, Bowser, I am tired and ready to sleep. Thank you for coming, though. I cannot wait for my visit to your kingdom!"

The prince hesitated. He didn't want to leave yet; he had just started feeling…comfortable. There was something about the princess that made him feel content with just sitting in the same room as her. Besides, he didn't feel like he'd be able to fall asleep anyway, there was too much to think about!

Bowser caught himself before he started to grumble about leaving, and instead stood up and walked toward the door that the princess was holding open for him. Before stepping out into the corridor, he looked at Peach with a wide, mischievous smile. "Have a good sleep, Peach. I'll see you in three days, right?"

Peach smiled and nodded enthusiastically. "I will definitely be waiting for you."

"Good luck, Princess."

"To you too, Bowser." She started to close the door, slowly. "Good night."

"Good night." He replied as she gently shut the door. Bowser smiled to himself as he started walking down the hall, thinking about his curious, fleshy, human friend, who was turning out to be almost as cool as he was.

XXXXXXX

When he climbed back into his family's living quarters, humming a nameless tune quietly to himself, he bumped into something big and solid. Slowly, the prince raised his head to discover his own father towering above him, practically blending in to the shadows of the dark room. The look on the King's face was one of almost uncontained rage, and his hands were crossed over his chest.

After a moment of staring at his dad, Bowser turned to look at the bed where his mother was sitting up, with a similar expression masking her features.

Bowser was a tough kid. It was one of the many things he prided himself on. He was always looking to cause trouble back at home, which normally led to him participating in innumerable fights; most of which he won. There was, however, one thing on the planet that always broke his spirit and confidence. It could, in a matter of seconds, throw him into a dungeon of fear and self-pity.

That one thing was his father and his mother shouting at him, together.

He could easily handle one or the other, and even shout back, being the honoree child he was. But as soon as they teamed up and took turns scolding him, his mind would blank and he couldn't think of even one witty comeback.

The King Koopa took his turn first. He roughly hoisted his son up by the neck of his shell until the boy's face was level with, and very close to, his own.

"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING?" he roared, making Bowser flinch.

"I-I was..." Bowser started.

"You put all our LIVES in jeopardy, boy, and you come in here humming like it's NO BIG DEAL?"

Bowser opened his mouth to assert his justification, but only a quiet whimper found itself out as his mother stood and joined her son and husband.

"When will you stop and think about what your actions can do, Bowser? You're little escapade could have started a war, it could have destroyed everything we've been working for." She shook her head in shame. "I cannot believe how selfish you are. It's astounding."

Bowser tried again to speak, this time with a little more success. "But I was-"

His father growled deep in his throat, and held up one claw warningly. "Boy, I want you to know that if your explanation is NOT acceptable, I will personally end your game, here and now." The prince's words caught in his throat; his father had never threatened him like that before. He looked up into the large Koopa's eyes, and saw from his hard, icy stare that his father was not joking around. "Think before you speak," he stated, dead-pan.

Any of Bowser's confidence that he might had collected completely disappeared. He felt weak and scared. Desperately, he looked to his mother for comfort with the best pleading look he could muster, but she was half-turned away, and staring stonily at the door.

Rejected, Bowser turned his eyes back up to his father's. He was actually waiting for an explanation.

The prince was wondering if the truth would get him away with his life, when there was a bang on the wooden door. A Toad guard's small voice came from the other side. "What's going on in there?" The door opened slowly, and it revealed a small platoon of the guards, each with a spear or sword in hand.

Bowser thanked the stars that the distraction had come. His father turned slowly, trying to contain his rage, and he eyed the guards coolly. "This is none of your concern, fungi."

After a moment of stunned silence, the Toad who seemed to be in charge cleared his throat, then took a fighting stance with sword held, a little shakily, in front of him. The rest of his platoon followed suit, which caused another low growl to emanate from the Koopa King. "It _is_ our concern, contrary to your belief." The little Toad stated, sounding much braver than he felt.

Bowser looked worriedly at his father, who was shaking slightly in his attempt to keep himself from frying the whole lot of the noisy Toads. He looked to his mother, who was not attempting to pacify his father in any way. It seemed that she was finally fed up with the Mushroom Kingdom.

The prince smiled, because that meant that they didn't have to put up with their crap anymore. But then he began to squirm in his father's powerful grip; he did NOT want to be in his father's clutches if he started to rampage around the castle or something. He'd seen his father rampage before; it was one of the sights in this world that made Bowser feel _sorry_ for others.

The Koopa King raised an eyebrow to the Toad who had spoken. "Oh? Really? I didn't think that the Mushroom Kingdom cared about the Koopa Royalty in the _slightest_." he spat harshly. By this time, more guards had arrived in the corridor, filling both sides of the door with little Mushroom faces.

The Toad stood his ground. "Whether a Darklandian child or a Mushroom child, we do not allow abuse in any way, shape, or form." Bowser's father laughed mirthlessly, which made the Toad take a step backwards. "Y-you are to put that child down immediately."

Bowser could feel his father's thin patience snap. His whole countenance seemed to darken, and his muscles tensed. The queen took a few steps behind her husband, not saying anything. The Koopa King let out a heart-stopping roar that shook the walls and caused many of the gathered Toads to shriek and drop their weapons. "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU'RE ORDERING AROUND?"

The king breathed in sharply as the Toads stood there, stunned, not knowing what to do. The Koopa royalty had always been obedient and passive-aggressive. They had never stood up to the Mushrooms before. They had never fought back or defended themselves in the slightest.

Now that the Koopa King was doing just that, the Toads couldn't do anything but watch in petrified horror as he opened his jaws wide and let a burst of white-hot flame roar toward them, exploding and consuming them as it barreled out the door and into the corridor.


	6. Family Intermission

_A/N: Whoo! I'm trying to get chapters to be longer, so this is actually a record. Not extremely long, but still, a personal best of nine pages. Hope you guys enjoy! _

XXXXXXX

Bowser Jr. smiled toothily from outside of his father's bedroom. His grandpa had been a super cool Koopa. Not as cool as King Dad, which went without saying, but it was still awesome how he deep-fried those weak Toad Guards like that.

"Junior! What'cha doin'? Spying on King Dad again? I'm gonna tell him!"

Bowser Jr. snapped his head around to see his older and much bigger brother Morton Jr. looming behind him. Morton had grown into his big mouth over the years, and Junior knew that he had about three seconds to spit out an excuse before Morton barged into his dad's room to tell on him.

Angrily, Bowser Jr. stuck one claw in front of his lips and gave his older brother the deadliest glare he could muster, warning Morton to be silent. He whispered, "King Dad's tellin' a story to Kamek, big mouth, so shut up! And when you're done shutting up you can go away and leave me alone!" he hissed.

Morton raised an eyebrow. "He's tellin' stories? I wanna hear this!" Before Junior could move, Morton pushed past him and opened the large, double doors.

The youngest Koopa Prince grabbed his large brother by the tail and tried to pull him back out of the room, but only succeeded in being dragged along. When the youngest Koopaling found himself standing in the middle of his dad's room, he froze, not sure what would happen next. Bowser Junior didn't want to look at his dad, because he knew he'd be making an angry face, so he gave Kamek a pleading gaze instead.

The Magikoopa had the hint of a smile hanging around his face, covered by slight annoyance, but that didn't matter. The small smile was enough to give Junior the courage to turn his attention to his dad.

Big mistake. The Koopa King looked extremely frustrated and annoyed at his two Koopalings. Junior imagined that if HE had been interrupted right when a story he had been telling was getting good, he would look like that too. He would have beat the interrupter up on the spot, then thrown them in the dungeon for good measure.

Hoping this would not be the case for the prince, Bowser Junior hastily stood up straight and pointed accusingly at his brother. "It's his fault." he stated, like that fixed everything.

Bowser eyed his third youngest son warily. "What is it, Morton?"

The large Koopaling shrugged his wide shoulders. "Junior said you were tellin' a story, and I wanted to come and have a listen. I mean, it's not fair that Kamek gets to hear somethin' and we don't! You never told us stories when we was younger, so I think you should start makin' up lost time right now." With that, Morton plopped himself down next to his father's bed and looked up expectantly.

Bowser closed his eyes and sighed angrily. Morton may have been big, but he still acted like a child, mixed with some of that late-teen attitude that Bowser hated. The king looked at his advisor wearily. One was the maximum occupancy for his story-telling audience, and he was waiting for that audience to do something about this interruption.

Kamek took that as his cue to stand up and stretch. "Well, I'm sorry, Prince Morton, but His Highness and I were about to take a break. Weren't we, Your Evasiveness?"

Bowser quickly stood up, leaping at the excuse. "Uh, yeah, we were. Sorry, champ, but I'm _not_ telling anymore stories tonight." He began to follow Kamek out the door.

Morton huffed and crossed his arms. "Seriously? Worst excuse I've ever heard! At least put some imagination into these things, Kamek!"

Bowser shrugged his shoulders while exiting the room. "What can you do? It worked, didn't it?"

Morton and Bowser Jr. quickly followed their father out of his room. Morton pushed his way in front of the king and grinned toothily. "Fine, King Dad! I'll come and listen tomorrow!"

Before Bowser had a chance to say that he would have a sore throat the following day, the Koopaling dashed down the hall and disappeared up one of the staircases, the grin still plastered on his face.

Bowser looked down at his youngest and raised an eyebrow. "And what were you up to, Junior?"

Junior looked down at his toes, a little embarrassed he had been caught. He had been hoping to keep the interruption pinned solely on Morton. "I… I was listening." He then furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms over his little chest. "And then stupid big mouth had to come and ruin everything!"

Bowser laughed a little as he ruffled his son's hair. "And now he's off to tell the rest of your siblings—"

The King and his advisor froze in their spots like they had hit an invisible Thwomp. Bowser slowly turned his head to look at Kamek, who was readjusting his glasses awkwardly. The Koopa King opened his mouth to say something, but the Magikoopa suddenly flew into the closest room. He burst back into the corridor shouting, "It is 8 o'clock, Your Forgetfulness! We still have fifteen minutes, sir!"

Bowser let out a roar of surprise, and started running down the hall, leaving behind a confused Bowser Jr. Kamek flew next to his king, stuttering apologies and excuses to Bowser, who wasn't really listening.

"Kamek! Save it! It's fine! At least we didn't completely forget! Just hurry up and get the hangar ready, tell my kids to meet me there, pronto, and get those chefs back into the kitchen!" he ordered gruffly.

Kamek nodded, and in a poof of geometric shapes disappeared to begin the preparations.

Bowser couldn't believe how idiotic he was; he had forgotten that tonight was a very important night! He turned a sharp corner and dashed into the main hall, where stray minions were preparing to turn in for the evening. At the sight of their king barreling toward them, they each threw hasty salutes and asked, "Sir! What is the matter? Are we under attack? Battle stations?"

The king smiled widely and gave a hearty laugh as he dashed down another hallway toward the hangar. "My sons are comin' home! Go make sure their rooms are prepared, you slackers!" he threw over his shoulder before disappearing around another corner.

XXXXXXX

When the royal family had planned the reunion, Ludwig had offered to pick up each of his brothers so they could all arrive together, which was why they were getting to the castle so late at night. It took a while to fly over each province of the Darklands. His airship only flew so fast!

Ludwig von Koopa ran his claws through his unruly blue hair absently as he turned away from his brother and gazed over the balcony at the forest below. "No, brother, I have not, as you ineloquently stated, 'found a hottie' as of yet." The eldest of the Koopa siblings realized now that he hadn't missed his brother Roy in the slightest. The brute hadn't changed at all. When Ludwig had moved away, he had found the sudden lack of interruptions from his siblings to be a blessing. He had the peace and quiet to compose all he wished, but could also rule his province as he saw fit. Having that power was completely new to the Koopa, but he had quickly become accustomed to it, and found he absolutely loved being in charge. His land was rich in the arts and he was in the middle of getting each of his subjects through higher education. From his knowledge, his province had been the most prosperous of the four brothers.

Ludwig smiled in spite of himself as he saw the outline of his father's castle loom into view. It was still a few minutes away, but the sight brought on a pleasant sense of nostalgia, and he found himself eager to see his four other siblings and his father. It had only been a year and a half at the most, but it truly felt like a decade.

Roy Koopa stretched out on one of the benches of the balcony lazily. "Aw, really, Ludo? That's a real shocker, I woulda thought you'd 've been taken a' soon as you were outta the castle!" he chuckled sarcastically. The large Koopa, despite his bullying nature and tendency to relentlessly tease his siblings, was very fond of his brothers and sister, though he would never admit it to anyone. He was especially excited to see Wendy, because she had given him tips about 'landin' the ladies', and he had _actually_ landed one with her advice. The prince hadn't told his sister yet, because he wanted the news to be delivered in person, but the lucky Koopa was cute, tough, adored everything about Roy, and was _officially_ his girl-friend.

He hadn't told his brothers yet, either, but he had been dropping enough hints that even Junior could have pieced it together. Roy, with a bored look on his face, became even more excited as he watched the dark shape of his father's castle grow ever closer.

Iggy and Lemmy were both inside the airship, watching the castle approach through the many windows. They were both feeling a bit apprehensive about seeing their father again, especially since their provinces weren't fairing too well. They weren't Blorbs-ridden or anything, but by the standard Ludwig had set, they might as well have been. Iggy readjusted his glasses nervously, not saying anything to his brother. They could both tell that the other was worrying about the same thing as they were. Over the years, they had both come up with wicked new tricks and inventions, but they didn't seem like they would impress their father in the slightest.

Iggy had thought that he had missed his older brother Roy, along with the rest of his siblings, but as soon as Roy punched him in the arm as a 'Hello', he realized he hadn't. Lemmy wasn't looking forward to Morton's constant talking, or Wendy's criticism over the way he styled his hair, but he had missed everyone else greatly. The boys wanted to feel excited, but because of their impending meeting with their father, they could only feel dread.

The Koopa King smiled to himself as he waited for the first sign of his four eldest children. It had been a few years since his eldest, Ludwig, had left to permanently live and rule over his own section of the Darklands as a sovereign. Ludwig leaving seemed to be the incentive the others had needed to go out on their own as well, because it had only been a matter of months before the other three had fled the coop. Bowser had missed them each immensely, even though they were no-good troublemakers. Having a half-empty castle was a little eerie, if not depressing at times.

Wendy sighed next to her father's elbow as she readjusted her bow and played with her jewelry. She was putting on an air of indifference, but the spoiled Koopa was actually extremely excited to see her older brothers again. It was so absolutely awful to be the oldest and most mature child at home. Dealing with Larry, Morton and Junior all day, every day, was enough to make her miss her bossy big brothers a great deal; even if they all had no sense of style, and Iggy creeped her out. Still, family was family, and besides, she wanted to follow up with Roy on that advice she gave him.

Morton was pacing around restlessly. He couldn't wait to see them all again; especially Roy, that jerk. He owed him for all the poundings Morton had received over the years. Now that he was almost a full-fledged Koopa, he felt confident in his abilities and size to take on that pink-headed, sunglasses-wearing idiot again. Maybe then everyone would give him the respect he deserved as the biggest of the Koopalings.

Larry was sitting down on the steps that led up to the castle, bouncing his leg up and down impatiently. He, like his siblings, had missed his brothers. Without them around, Larry felt almost incomplete, like a part of his personality was gone. In their absence, he had learned to sort of get along with Junior and Morton, and he had started to make progress with Wendy; each of which had turned out to not be as annoying as he initially thought they were. It seemed to him that when everyone was together, each Koopaling was aggressive and bossy; but get them alone and they were fun and pretty nice. The prospect of seeing his other brothers made him nervous, but also excited. He had missed getting into trouble and fighting with them. He wondered if he would be able to get alone time with each of them.

Junior was so excited that he almost couldn't hold still. He was tapping his foot and staring at the horizon, willing Ludwig's ship to appear. Bowser Jr. loved all of his siblings very much, and having them be absent for so long had left a small hole in his heart. It felt like with every passing moment he missed them more and more. He wondered what games they would all play first, or what kinds of stories his big brothers would tell about being in charge like King Dad.

Suddenly, Larry pointed to the sky and let out a small cry of excitement. "There they are!" he called.

The large airship slowly creaked into its place in the hangar. For a few tense moments, nothing moved on the ship. Then, all at once, four Koopa heads popped out of the doorway, each struggling to get out first.

Bowser sighed a little; he had hoped that they had matured at least a little bit while being away. It seemed to him like they would always be his trouble-making Koopalings.

Ludwig, being the eldest of the four, finally pushed the rest out of his way, and at his own pace approached his awaiting family. Next came Roy, who punched Iggy, causing the Koopa to double over. Lemmy came last, as Iggy wouldn't let him pass until the tall Koopaling had gotten his breath back and was off of the ship. The last three Koopas ran past their older brother and stopped in front of their father, standing slightly erect as he looked them over.

When Ludwig joined them, Bowser eyed each a little coldly. Iggy and Lemmy gulped; already? They were going to get punished so soon? However, the Koopa King let out a hearty laugh and scooped his four eldest sons in his arms. "You all got so much bigger!"

The four returned the hug, then after a moment started to squirm out of their father's grasp. They each looked slightly embarrassed, but got over it as their other siblings swarmed them, producing another round of hugs.

After greetings were finished, Bowser ushered his kids inside, where a late dinner awaited his sons. He didn't say anything as the royal family made their way into the dining hall; he was content with watching his children flit about, chattering excitedly. Well, everyone except for Roy, who seemed to be avoiding Bowser's eye, and was shying away from his little sister a bit. The king wondered what was up with his usually boisterous son, but he decided to leave it be for the time.

The family burst into the hall, each taking their usual spots around the long table; Bowser at the head with Ludwig to his right and Kamek to his left, with the rest of the children lining the sides of the table in age order. Before them was an incredible feast, with each of the children's favorite foods and desserts; and more dishes were arriving by the moment!

"For having such short notice, the chefs have really out-done themselves." Kamek mused. Bowser abruptly elbowed his adviser in the ribs, practically toppling him out of his chair.

Bowser turned to his eldest son. "Ludo, how have things been going while you were away?"

Ludwig smiled to himself as he saw Lemmy and Iggy shrink back into their chairs, looking like they wanted to disappear. The eldest Koopaling looked at his father and proudly stated, "Very well, father."

Bowser smiled broadly. "Is that so?" He turned to look at Lemmy, who was avoiding eye contact. "Lemmy, what about you?"

The smallest Koopaling looked up dolefully. "N-not bad," he stated, "but not as good as Ludo."

Bowser furrowed his brow a little, but then reminded himself that it was only to be expected. Ludwig was an extremely intelligent brat, and he hadn't had a single doubt that the eldest Koopaling would do well. He sighed and looked at Iggy, who was sitting next to Lemmy, and was picking at his food nervously. Before Bowser could ask, Iggy adjusted his large, black glasses and looked at his dad. "Same with me, King Dad."

Bowser didn't respond, which unnerved both of the Koopalings. He looked at Roy, who was sitting across from Lemmy. "And you, Roy?"

Roy swallowed his bite of steak and blinked for a second, letting the food go down. He grinned at his brothers that were on the other side of the table and then said, "Pretty good, I guess."

Bowser raised an eyebrow. "Pretty good?" He didn't know what that meant. To be honest, the Koopa King hadn't really known how Roy would do with his own province. He seemed pretty thick-headed, but he had his moments where he would outsmart Iggy, or beat Ludwig at chess. (He didn't play very often, and he had only won once, but it was still an astounding feat for the brawny Koopaling.)

Roy shrugged. "Yeah. I did a little betta 'n fo' eyes an' cross eyes ova dere."

Surprised, Bowser looked at Lemmy and Iggy to see if he was telling the truth. By the way the two of them started purposefully at their plates told the Koopa King that Roy wasn't lying. Bowser laughed a little and stated, "Well, good job, the lot of ya!" This got a frown from Ludwig, who hadn't planned on being lumped together with his younger brothers like that. Lemmy and Iggy looked up, confused.

Bowser frowned and pointed at them. "Hey, just 'cause you two screwed up a little doesn't mean I should punish you. Ludwig's standards are hard to compete with! Just try harder next time, and don't mess around as much!" He reached across the table and grabbed a few spicy chicken wings. "And you better help me eat all this food. I already ate, so I'm still a little full!"

His sons smiled, relieved, and dove into their meal with renewed appetites.

Wendy leaned to her right and looked at Roy. He stayed passive, not letting his face change while she studied him. Finally she smiled. "So, did you, like, try out my advice or not?"

Roy hesitated for a moment, then grinned at her. From that grin, Wendy O. Koopa filled in the rest of the details, and she shrieked in delight for her brother. "Roy! That's so fantastic! What's her name?"

The older brother took a drink to hide his embarrassment. Everyone was now looking at the two of them interestedly. "Tell ya later, Wendy."

Wendy whined, but Roy refused to talk about it further, so she finally settled with criticizing Lemmy and Iggy.

Bowser Jr. sighed from the end of the table. He hated Kamek, Wendy and Morton for being able to talk to his big brothers instead of him. He couldn't talk around Morton, because he was too big, and Wendy and Larry separated him from Roy on the other side of the table. He grumbled into his neckerchief and picked at his food moodily while his family chatted and laughed between bites.

When the family was finally finished eating, the conversations started to die down as the Koopalings' eyes started to feel heavy. After the food was cleared away, Kamek rose from his seat and mounted his broom. He smiled warmly at the Koopalings, a few of them about to doze off. He cleared his throat to grab everyone's attention. "Princes and princess, I believe now would be a good time to head off to our chambers. All rooms have been prepared, and your things have already been brought up." He gestured toward one of the staircases. "After you, Your Highnesses."

Slowly, the Koopalings filed out, rubbing their eyes. When they had left, Kamek looked at Bowser, and found his king smiling to himself, watching young Larry slowly climb the stairs while trying not to fall asleep.

Kamek smiled softly and nudged Bowser. "I think it's time for the king to be heading off as well," he said.

Bowser grinned at Kamek. "Yeah, yeah, alright, don't be so pushy, I get it. You wanna go to bed too." The Koopa King rose out of his chair and stretched.

The Magikoopa readjusted his hat thoughtfully. He had been frustrated a few hours earlier when the young princes had interrupted his king's tale, and had been worried that Bowser wouldn't want to continue. Bowser had started to act more like himself with his children all back, but he still seemed a bit off to Kamek. He looked up at Bowser and saw the large Koopa walking out of the room, heading to his chambers.

"Good night, Your Sleepyness," he called.

Bowser stopped and turned around. "Kamek, don't worry, OK?"

Kamek blinked, not sure what to say. He settled for, "Alright, sire."

Bowser chuckled a little. "I mean, don't worry, I'll tell you the rest later." Kamek smiled and nodded. Bowser yawned and turned away again. "G'night, Kamek," he called over his shoulder.

The King could not sleep. His thoughts were mixed up with his beautiful Princess Peach, her idiotic father, and his own ferocious father. Bowser was angry that he could only think of the bad times, and none of the good. He hoped he could remember them the next time he had story-time with Kamek.

When he finally drifted off, the Koopa King dreamt of his mother, and a field of fire and blood.

On the other side of the castle, the Koopalings were having a hard time sleeping as well. They kept getting out of bed and going into each other's rooms, chatting and dozing off in each other's beds. After a while, everyone ended up in the largest room; Wendy's. The ceiling was tall and had a small hanging light fixture that wasn't quite extravagant enough to be considered a chandelier. Her bed was queen size, and was covered with a large, heavy, black and pink quilt that her grandmother had made. There wasn't much in the way of seating, so most of Wendy's brothers seated themselves on the floor.

Normally, Ludwig, Iggy and Roy wouldn't participate in a sleep-over like this, but it had been a few years, and they were feeling sociable.

Bowser Junior seated himself on the bed next to his sister, and Larry lay at the foot of the bed. Ludwig leaned against the closet door, Iggy sat on Wendy's large vanity, Lemmy was sitting contentedly on one of his yellow balls, Morton next to him on the floor, and Roy leaned himself against the bedroom door, so as to keep any curious servants out.

They were each chatting quietly with one another, when Morton stood up excitedly. Lemmy, whom he had been talking to, sighed and leaned back, one eyebrow raised. "What's up, Morton?"

The large Koopaling looked around to be sure he had everyone's attention. He gave Junior a knowing look and opened his mouth to speak. "King Dad-"

Junior jumped to his feet and pointed angrily at Morton. "Hey! I don't think King Dad wants anyone to know!" Sometimes, Bowser Junior felt like he was the only one in this family with any respect for his awesome dad.

Morton crossed his arms with a scowl. "So what? This is important!"

Iggy scratched his head. "Out with it, Morton." Junior groaned as he flopped back onto the plush bed, defeated, as Morton continued.

"So, like I was sayin'. King Dad was tellin' a story to Kamek today!"

The rest of the Koopalings exchanged looks. Larry frowned. "What kind of story?"

Morton paused, and scratched his head. "I- uh, I dunno."

He looked at Junior for help, but Junior was reluctant. The youngest Koopaling had heard most of the story, but it felt wrong to tell about it. It hadn't been like when King Dad would talk about how cool and strong he was; he had been really serious while telling the story to Kamek, even at the funny parts.

Bowser Junior scratched his chin, debating whether he should tell. He looked at his older brothers, who were watching him expectantly. That decided it. Bowser Junior wanted acceptance from his brothers more than anything at that moment, so he opened hi s mouth and spilled the beans, so to speak.

"He was tellin' old Koopa Kamek about when he was a kid and would go to Mama Peach's castle with grandma and grandpa. He was really serious and sounded kinda sad when he was talkin' about it."

Roy yawned. "Really? He was jus' talkin' about his childhood? Weak, Morton, what kinda news is that?"

Ludwig smiled thoughtfully. "I wouldn't say 'weak', brother. It's unusual for our father to be sharing such a tale. Think, has the great Koopa King ever conversed with anyone about his own past? It must be a very touchy matter, for him to be so serious about it."

Roy leaned back and sighed. "So, what are we gonna do about it?"

"Why don't we go and listen to this story? I mean, he never, like, told us stories about grandma and grandpa Koopa," Wendy piped up from the bed. "And he definitely never told me, like, _any_ bed-time stories, which is so lame of him."

Lemmy looked at Morton. "When are he and Kamek having another story-time?"

Morton shrugged. All eyes turned to Bowser Junior, who blinked. "I dunno! Probably at night-time, 'cause that's when he was tellin' stories today."

Larry raised a hand. "Are we gonna just barge into the room and demand he let us listen too?"

Bowser Junior shook his head furiously. "That's what big-mouth idiot did today, and that made King Dad stop."

Wendy shrugged. "So, what, we'll like, listen in the hall or something? How uncomfortable!"

Ludwig nodded. "It seems that is the only option."

Iggy tapped his chin thoughtfully. "No, I don't think so, Ludo."

The Koopalings looked at their lanky brother. He adjusted his glasses and grinned a little mischievously. "I think I have something in my lab that will be perfect for this job."

Larry looked at him skeptically. "It doesn't explode, does it?"

Iggy giggled at the prospect. "No, no, it would take a lot of effort to get this machine to blow up; though that would certainly make it more exciting!"

The Koopalings groaned.

"I don't wanna trust dis idiot," Roy scoffed. "He'll get us all killed!"

Iggy frowned. "I promise you'll stay very much alive. It is not a weapon. The chance of it having a fatal malfunction is approximately 20%, at the very most."

The Koopalings looked at each other, each thinking the same thing; 20% was a lot less than usual. After a few moments hesitation, they all agreed to let Iggy take care of it.


End file.
